Destiny
by Ex-SOLDIER804
Summary: The sequel to "The Wave" Cloud wakes up in a foreign room, barely able to remember what had happened to him. Just where was he? Or even.. When was he?


Cold. Everything was cold. Unsure of location, most unsure of life.

_'Am I alive? Or... Dead?'_

Thoughts of what caused him to be inbetween planes of existance flashed in his brain. What happened to him? Where was he?

Eyes heavy, too weak to open, feeling as though they've been sewn shut. There was no sound, felt no heat, nothing. The room was frigid, a pitch black frozen tundra. What is this place?

Limbs frozen in place, incapable of feeling out this current prison he was stuck in, yet it was somehow soothing. Body in a relaxed state of being.

_'What's going on? Why can't I move?'_

...

Cloud awoke, lying on a foreign frozen floor. Feeling his strength had come back, he pushed himself up slowly and took a look around the room. What is this place? It seemed familiar, but something was... off. Rubbing his head, he remembered why he was here, but... Where exactly was here? Continuing his search around the room, Cloud stumbled upon a large container. It seemed to be made of steel and had two glass panels on a little door.

Cloud stared at the strange pod and felt as if it were the only safe place in the room. Cloud pried it's door open, feeling nothing but cold from it.

"This must be one of those experimental cryo tubes I've heard about." He inspected it further.

"It's more advanced than i had thought.."

He noticed some scratch marks on the side of it. Cloud lifted his hand up to the marks and explored them with the tips of his fingers. They formed letters.

"Cloud... Get... Out... ... End... Of... Days?" Cloud's heart started to pound in axiety, palms feeling moist. "Tifa wrote this... Where is she?"

He decided to leave this refridgerated prison be and continue scoping out this room. It was a decent sized room. there were pots for plants in the corners of the room, slightly decayed. A bed lay adjacent to the Cryo tube, and next to it some kind of monitoring system. The walls looked like they might crumble at any moment as cracks ran throughout them. A rather dismal sight.

As he searched the room, he spotted his large blade, the Buster Sword, and it's straps to holster it. He fastened the harness around his torso, and picked up the blade. Pain shot through his abdomen. Looking over his shoulder to a nearby mirror he examined himself. Just as he remembered. A slightly tattered shirt that had a skull with bat wings and writing that displayed, "Avenged Sevenfold.", snug fitting black jeans with a few chains hanging from the side, a few holes placed on the knees from skateboarding, and a pair of skate shoes. He also remembered his wound. Inspecting it, he could only see dried blood, no open wound or gash marks.

Ignoring the pain, he lifted the large sword into the holster. Placing his hands at his side he felt a small bulge from the right side pocket. It was rectangular in shape. He pulled the object out to reveal his cigarettes, he smiled and light one. Savoring the feel of the burn on his throat. He decided to venture further into the building.

"Hello?"

...

"Come on, he's this way."

"E-excuse me, ma'am?"

A soldier hesitantly asked his groups leader.

"Where are we going anyway?"

The group leader pulled off the helmet she was wearing, turning to address her small squad of soldiers, she flipped out her wavy pink locks. She gave her crew a stern look.

"A burnt out infirmary."

"But why? No one has been around these parts in a long time?"

"We are looking for the only one who can save this world." She turned to give them a cold shoulder.

"Ma'am?" Squeaked the soldier.

"Shut it, we have to keep moving."

The group came upon a large building that seemed to have fused with the mountain shadowing it. It's door frame bore a cross, signifying that it was a medical care center. The Pink haired leader motioned for them to set up a parimeter, pointing to two partiular members, she made them lookout, the other soldier followed her in.

She held up her fist, signaling the soldier to take it slow.

"It's so dark in here.." She lifted her palm, focusing her energy she produced a small flame to light the path.

They examined each room they passed, only to find empty, and sometimes disturbing imagery, within the medical facility. Room after room, not finding what they were looking for, but medical supplies. The hallway seemed to reach on into forever within the darkness. The pink haired woman placed a set of thermal imaging goggles upon her face, in the hopes it would help her discover their, "package".

The soldier she was escorting quietly walked up to her and whispered, "Why is this fellow so important to our survival?"

Stopped and sighed, placing her hand on her hip and tilting her head in frustration.

"Have you not kept up with your current events? WEAPON is attacking."

"What's.. Weapon?"

She slowly placed her palm over her face in irritation. She turned to him.

"Are you thick or something? Weapon is a creature created by the planet when it is in danger. It will wipe out life as we know it in order to keep the planet safe."

The soldier scratched his head in disbelief.

She sighed again. "You are a moron.."

...

"You are a moron.."

_'Who said that?!'_

Cloud stopped in his tracks at hearing this echoed voice, crouching down he wondered who it was? Where was it coming from. He couldn't see a whole lot in this dark shroud. He could barely make out the hallway he was in and the silhouettes of the entry ways to a few of the rooms. This place was eerie.

Cloud's heart began to pound as he listened. Light footsteps here and there.

"Where are they.." He whispered softly to himself.

He raised his hand, and grasped for the handle of his weapon that was fastened on his back, getting ready for anything that might attack him. His mind went to Tifa. Where was she?

Cloud shook the thought from his head.

_'Survival first..'_

He sighed to himself. What a mess this was becoming.

The noises stopped. Cloud stood up and tried his best to examine the hallway. He stepped into one of the rooms, looked it over making sure it was safe and sat there a moment.

"I found a heat signature. Over here!"

'_Shit!'_

Cloud's heart began to race, sweat accumulated on his brow. Hoping the object he was hiding behind would give him enough cover to duck who ever these people were.

He felt around in the dark to see what he was taking cover behind. A desk. He unsheathed his weapon as silently as possible, setting it on the ground. The pain from his injury did not phase him. He placed his other hand over his mouth, trying to quiet his breathing.

"He's somewhere around here."

Cloud leered out behind the desk and saw a woman holding a flame in her hand. This seemed unreal to him. He examined the foe, there stood a woman with a small frame, soft features and light pink hair. She wore a white top that seemed to cover most of her, a brown mini skirt, and had long boots and long gloves, small pauldrons donned her shoulder. She was cute, and couldn't possibly be dangerous. However she was speaking to someone which made Cloud believe there might be trouble.

_'Better stay hidden..'_

Cloud tried to swallow, his mouth and throat gone dry from the panic.

"Lets wait here. He couldn't have gotten far.." The pink haired woman said to her companion as she leaned against the wall.

"Ma'am?"

She said nothing.

"Miss Farron?"

"Will you shut up? And call me Lightning!" she snapped at him.

Cloud sat in thought for a second. He decided it was time to act. Like a flash of lightning, he bolted out from his cover and knocked out the soldier, hitting him with the heel of the handle to his blade. He swung to attack the pink haired women and almost as quick as he, she pulled out her sword to deflect his. It unfolded as she flung it up.

"STOP!" She yelled.

Cloud growled, as he spun with his sword and threw it at her. The long blade pinned her against the wall only penetrating a small bit of fabric. He lifted his fist and was about to launch it dead at her.

Cloud fell silent as he felt a sharp blow to the back of the head. He fell to his knees, vision going blurry, he turned and swung a sharp upper cut at his foe, knocking him flat on his back. He knew he was in trouble, his eye lids began to feel as though they weighed a ton. His breathing becoming softer, unconciousness awaited him.

"Damn... you..." He cursed the soldiers that were charging at him, as he collapsed onto the grimy floor beneath him.

The soldiers stopped rushing him, giving a sigh of relief.

"Jeez that guy was a beast!" One of the soldiers said.

Lightning sighed, and tried to pull the Buster Sword from the wall in turn freeing her, but it would not budge. She motioned for the other soldiers to help her out. After a few tries they finally got it.

"Damn!" a soldier yelled as the large blade clashed with the ground.

"What?"

"This thing weighs a million pounds! How the hell was he able to swing it with one hand?!"

Lightning walked over to the small group of soldiers trying to lift the sword. She grabbed the handle with both hands firmly gripping it. It took some effort, but she finally got it up off the ground. Walking into one of the nearby rooms, she placed it on a bed frame that had wheels. She shook her head in disbelief. How could a person handle this thing? It stood taller than she!

"Lets get him and his weapon back to HQ."

The group lifted Cloud over to another wheeled bed, laying him down on it, and pushing him out toward the exit.

Lighting pulled out a cell phone and called for a transport to come pick them up.

"We have him." She said calmly.

_'Good. However we cannot evac you from your current position. You will have to head through the mountains and to our small outpost.'_

She scowled at the phone.

"You want us to walk all the way there?!" She sighed furiously.

She nodded a few times, giving an occasional, "Uh-huh." Then clicked the small device off. She looked to her crew and informed them that they would have to walk to the outpost, which would take around three days to get to from their location.

"So, we might as well set up a camp and wait for him to wake up so he can carry his own baggage.." She sighed and crossed her arms.

...

_'Hey Cloud! You ready to jam brother?'_

_'Yeah Cloud, come on! What are you waiting for?"_

_I shook my head furiously hoping this was real. That I was back at home with my friends, and my guitar. I felt a smile creep across my face as I saw her. Long legs, beautiful curves. _

_'Tif-'_

_It wasn't her. It was that woman from before... the one with the rose petal hair._

_I tried to run, but got nowhere..._


End file.
